At the 2021 convention of the West Texas Press Association last week, the first of the state’s regional newspaper conventions to return after Covid-19 cancellations in 2020, The Texas Spur and its sister weekly The Caprock Courier came away with a gratifying array of awards.
The meeting was held April 8–10 in Rockwall, in conjunction with the North and East Texas Press Association gathering. Judging was
Both The Texas Spur and The Caprock Courier competed in Division C, the state’s smallest-circulation weekly newspapers. Two entries were accepted per category.
The Texas Spur’s 13 awards for excellence in various aspects of newspaper journalism for work published during calendar years 2019 and 2020 were:
• First place, Column Writing, Kay Ellington for “The Flock Phenomonon,” March 14, 2019, and Barbara Brannon, for “Harmony and Me,” Dec. 3, 2020;
• First place, News Writing, Barbara Brannon for “Our Church Is on Fire,” Jan. 23, 2020, and “Cap Rock Microwave Tower Comes Down,” June 11, 2020;
• First place, Special Coverage, “Covid-19 Bulletin, April–December 2020;
• Second place, Sports, Sports (2) March 7, 2019 State Bound
Nov. 21, 2019, Corks and Columnists
Nov. 21, 2019 Road to Destiny
Boys basketball Feb. 6
Basketball preview Jan. 16
Realignment Feb. 6
• Second place, Photography, Barbara Brannon, “K-9 Dodger,” March 5, 2020, and “Sermon on the Mound,” Apr. 9, 2020;
• Second place, Feature Writing, Barbara Brannon, “Jayton’s Sparrow’s Nest Almost Ready for Fledging,” May 14, 2020, and “Longtime Editor and Publisher Grady Joe Harrison Dies at 91,” Aug. 6, 2020;
• Fourth place, Special Section, Election Extra, Nov. 5, 2020;
• Fourth place, Advertising, Spur Hardware ad, April 2, 2020; Spur Inn Mug ads, Dec. 3, Dec. 10, 2020.
Additionally, The Texas Spur’s eight awards were the highest score rank in the contest, earning the newspaper the overall Sweepstakes award.
The Caprock Courier, which the Paragraph Ranch LLC group owned and published for only nine out of the 24 months covered by the contest, won awards in five categories:
• First place, Advertising Composition, Bison Café Graduation Ad, May 20, 2020; Spur Hardware Ad, Sept. 10, 2020.
• Third place, Editorial Writing, for Liz Adams, “This One’s for the Girls,” with photos, Aug. 13, 2020; and “I Believe in Music” (Mac Davis memorial), Oct. 8, 2020;
• Fourth place, Feature Writing, for Kay Ellington, “Arvis Davis Retires,” June 18, 2020, and Liz Adams, “Harvest Home/ Food Pantries,” Nov. 26, 2020;
• Fourth place, Special Coverage, Election Extra, Nov. 5, 2020;
• Sixth place, Sweepstakes. Kay Ellington, publisher of both newspapers, said, “I’ve been a part of teams that won awards for big dailies— even with the New York Times Regional Group, Hearst and KnightRidder—but nothing means as much to me as recognition for these weeklies that strive to keep quality news front and center for our communities.”
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